Final answer:
Your roommate's feeling of losing their identity among the diverse campus population is an example of culture shock. Culture shock involves adjustment to new cultural norms and can lead to personal growth and development over time. Acknowledging and embracing this transition is essential in adapting while preserving one's unique identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
When your roommate feels that their identity is getting lost amidst the diversity on campus, this is an example of culture shock. Culture shock is a term used in sociology that describes the disorientation and frustration one may feel when experiencing a different culture, with unfamiliar customs and social norms. It involves a process of adjustment and can lead to ethnocentrism, in which a person may favor their own cultural norms and have difficulty accepting those of the new environment.
Adjusting to a new culture includes adapting to new behaviors, expectations, and sometimes coping with prejudice or oppression. It's important to understand that this adjustment takes time and is a part of personal growth. College is an environment for learning and embracing new cultures while maintaining one's personal story and values, as emphasized by Michelle Obama in her book Becoming.
Remember, everyone experiences some level of ethnocentrism and the journey towards adapting and understanding a new culture is a unique and personal process that can take weeks to years, depending on the individual and the degree of cultural differences encountered. Embracing the struggle can lead to significant personal development and a better understanding of both oneself and others.